Many of my patients, after we talk about diet and lifestyle and alternatives to unhealthy food options, ask me eventually, “well, what do YOU eat?” I think it helps sometimes to know someone personally who puts together a meal plan for the week or day that follows the guidelines we are working towards. So here it is! A typical day for me looks something like this:

-breakfast is usually small but satisfying. today cottage cheese topped with walnuts and berries with a cup (& maybe another one down the line) of green or herbal tea.

-lunch a scoop of tuna salad with lettuce greens, with olive oil and lemon juice squeezed over them, and whatever other veg i have around to chop up and throw in (radish, tomato, cucumber, carrots…). Maybe a few seed or nut crackers, or half an avocado. i usually pack my lunch in a glass container and take it to work. super easy.

-snacks are usually from the following: string cheese, raw nut mix, clementine, carrot sticks, hot tea/water, or half an apple.

-dinners i love. tonight i’m making soba noodle bowls. chicken broth infused with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and shoyu (or tamari). lots of broccoli and mushrooms, and buckwheat soba noodles simmering in this flavorful broth. one of my all time faves. it takes a whopping 15 minutes to cook. often i’ll add baked tofu or tempeh to it, or more veggies we need to get rid of.

-when we are indulging, we’ll have a glass of wine and some dark chocolate for dessert. my husband’s new hobby is mixing old-timey cocktails, so those are fun too!

one of the things i love about my food is that it makes me feel good. i get excited seeing so many colors and flavors on my plate, and the food i eat has meaning and purpose for me. i think over time i’ve developed a deep sense of joy from food, and part of it has come from cooking so much and experimenting with what makes me feel good and happy. my hope is to pass on some of this joy to you.

healthy cooking is also very attractive for me. it’s enticing and appealing in so many ways. the colors are sexy, the flavors vibrant, the guilt absent. i think once you get rolling, it’s hard to look back.